84-135.

Governor's Policy Research Office; principal state office to coordinate policy development; duties; Governor's Policy Research Cash Fund; created; use; investment.

The Governor's Policy Research Office shall be the principal state agency to coordinate policy development relating to the state's social, economic, and physical resources and to coordinate programs administered by the state and its political subdivisions. It shall provide available information, assistance, and staff support to the executive and legislative branches by all appropriate means. Furthermore, the office may, except as otherwise specified by the Governor:

(1) Identify long-range state problems and development opportunities and propose alternative policy options which may be submitted by the Governor to the Legislature for its consideration;

(2) Formulate for the Governor or the Legislature policy options for the orderly and coordinated growth of the state, except that functional plans shall only be formulated by the Governor's Policy Research Office when no department, agency, or institution has been given the responsibility for such planning or when such a body is not fulfilling its assigned planning responsibilities;

(3) Prepare special reports and furnish the results of the office's research and other activities through publications, memoranda, briefings, and expert testimony;

(4) Establish and require the use of standard basic population and economic data for all state departments, agencies, and institutions;

(5) Analyze and project the quality and quantity of services which may be necessary for the continued and orderly growth of the state, taking into consideration the relationship of activities, capabilities, and future plans of local units of government, area planning commissions, transportation authorities, development districts, regional councils, private enterprise, state government, the federal government, and other public and private bodies;

(6) Encourage the coordination of the planning activities of all state departments, agencies, and institutions and political subdivisions of the state;

(7) Advise, if requested, and consult with regional, joint, and local planning agencies;

(8) Monitor and participate in interstate policy development, planning, and other activities related thereto;

(9) Survey, review, and appraise the accomplishments of state government in achieving the goals and objectives set forth in legislation or reflected in directives from the Governor or state agencies;

(10) Assist the Department of Administrative Services with the capital improvement programming process;

(11) Apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions, and any other form of assistance from the federal government, the state, or any public or private sources for the purposes of sections 84-131 to 84-141 under such conditions as may be required and execute contracts or agreements in connection therewith. The office may include in any contract for financial assistance with the federal government such conditions imposed pursuant to federal laws as it may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of sections 84-131 to 84-141. There is hereby created a fund to be known as the Governor's Policy Research Cash Fund. All money credited to the fund shall be used by the Governor's Policy Research Office to carry out the responsibilities and duties of this section. Any money in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act;

(12) Serve as state government's applicant agency, or coapplicant when existing or future federal legislation specifically requires another applicant, but not necessarily administering agency, for all planning, programming, or research grants to transportation authorities and to state departments, agencies, or institutions. The Governor's Policy Research Office may delegate its applicant or coapplicant role upon such terms and for such periods of time as it shall deem appropriate;

(13) Enter into agreements with state departments and other agencies of state government and Nebraska state institutions of higher education for the temporary use of personnel in pursuit of the purposes of sections 84-131 to 84-141;

(14) Contract for professional or consultant services with state departments and agencies, Nebraska institutions of higher education, other public bodies, and private sources in pursuit of the purposes of sections 84-131 to 84-141;

(15) Review and comment on all local and regional applications for federal planning assistance. This authority may be delegated to regional planning commissions, development districts, regional councils, or such other state agency upon such terms as it deems appropriate; and

(16) Exercise all other powers necessary and proper for the discharge of its duties, including the promulgation of reasonable rules and regulations.

The Governor's Policy Research Office shall periodically review the organization and programs of state government and make recommendations to the Governor on ways to more effectively organize state government, eliminate duplication of units of government and of programs, and encourage efficiency and economy.